


Regrets of the Sea

by AsexualAuthor7823



Category: One Piece
Genre: ASL Brothers, Ace Lives, Angst, Brothers, Minor Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Portgas D. Ace, Portgas D. Ace Lives, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:00:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25142032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsexualAuthor7823/pseuds/AsexualAuthor7823
Summary: I regret forgetting, the blonde whispered looking out to the sea.I regret failing, the youngest cried on the island, gaze set on the calm blue waters.I regret dying, the final boy thought before his body went limp. His gaze met his family, his brother, the sea in the distant, and he fell.The sea heard their regrets, and the brothers might just get another chance to fulfill them.The sea akies them back to where it all started.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace & Sabo
Comments: 17
Kudos: 393
Collections: Time Travel and World Travel





	1. Chapter 1

Three boys and three regrets. 

A young male died and one thought to be dead and another on the verge of it. 

The one with a burning in his chest, his brother holding him up, he says the five words that shatter through the noise, "Thank you for loving me."

Another looking at the news, face falling from the words written, "Gold Roger's son dead." A picture of his past, and he falls.

The last, eyes wide, mind adrift and broken spirited as he looks to the sky. He cries, his brother had just died in his arms. 

The three, having toasted to being brother, the three all made promises to set off to sea, and the three brothers, Portgas D Ace, Monkey D Luffy, and Sabo*. 

I regret forgetting, the blonde whispered looking out to the sea.

I regret failing, the youngest cried on the island, gaze set on the calm blue waters.

I regret dying, the final boy thought before his body went limp. His gaze met his family, his brother, the sea in the distant, and he fell.

The sea heard their regrets, and the brothers might just get another chance to fulfill them.

The sea takes them back to where it all started. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ace opened his eyes, instinctively reaching for his stomach. Bit there wasn’t a hole there, not a gap of where he felt so much pain, hell, there wasn’t any pain. Now that he thinks about it, there isn’t any noise. It is silent and dark. He looked outside of the room, a light shining back through. 

A terrifying dream, Ace thought, but there was something about it. Thatch, the hunt for Teach, Impel Down and then… the war, and Luffy’s yell, and of course the pain. There was so much! Or at least there was? 

And now he isn’t even… at Marineford? He thought to look around this room, why isn’t he at Marineford? Or Impel Down? Where was he? He continued to think before his eyes really took a look around. 

It was like his room when he was a kid, back with the mountain bandits, but that is impossible. Right? 

One of the fake mountain bandits, Ace decided because there was no way this was real, had called from outside the room. “Garp is here, so get down here, Ace,” the voice carried through the room. 

There was another voice that was shouting outside, the undeniable voice was easy to hear. Dadan? Ace thought after not hearing the voice in three years, three years he hasn’t been home. Was this home? No, the Moby Dick was home. 

Stumbling out of the window like he’d done years before, Ace took a glance outside only to see Garp talking to Dadan and the other bandits. 

“Listen here Luffy, you are going to be living here with the Dadan family and Ace,” the rough voice of Garp, the same Garp that would always give Luffy, him and Sabo the “fist of love” as he’d call them. Suddenly a cold shiver ran up his back. “Ace is going to be your big brother,” he continued. 

“Luffy?” Ace questioned from a rock not too far away. 

“Ace!” Luffy shouted, panic reaching his voice, and something else Ace realized. Sorrow? Desperation? 

“Lu-” 

Falling to the floor, Ace let out a silent “oof” before looking down at his kid brother… a very young kid brother? Like, seven-year-old kid brother? 

“Well, I’d be leaving now, Gararara!” Garp laughed turning away the way he came. 

Looking at Luffy, Ace felt a loss of words. The same feeling as to how he felt when Luffy came crashing from the sky with misfits from Impel Down. How? Ace found himself wondering as the fact came back to him. 

“I’m going to go get dinner!” Ace shouted to the mountain bandits, dragging Luffy with him. Though is it really dragging with the rubber idiot wrapped around your body? 

A good distance from the mountain bandits hideout, Ace took another look at Luffy. The scar is still under his eyes, his eyes… well, they are full of tears. Still, the cry baby when he was seven, Ace thought fondly. 

“Ace you’re alive!” Luffy cried loudly. Alive… the word shocked Ace as he found himself thinking back to the war, he died. Actually died. And Luffy was there, he was holding him. 

“Hey Luffy, yeah, I’m alive,” Ace smiled softly. Not finding it in himself to tell the boy to shut up and stop crying as he’d done at the age he was trapped in. 

Hours, maybe, had passed by, Ace was looking at Luffy who had now resorted to just sniffling. 

“Why am I seven?” Luffy questioned, clinging to Ace even as he stopped sobbing. 

“The same reason I’m ten, I’d guess,” Ace retorted. 

“Does this mean Sabo’s still here somewhere?” Luffy questioned, excitement growing as he grinned. 

“...Maybe,” Ace relented, though he didn’t want Luffy to get his hopes up. A lot could prove that Sabo isn’t here. Maybe this was an alternate universe where Sabo is a stuck up nobel? Or that Sabo died already, maybe his family had been more strict about where the boy spends his time. Maybe he just doesn’t exist here? One thing he did know, was that Sabo hadn’t died until months after Luffy got here, so there was a possibility? 

Moving to the spot Ace knew was the original treasure spot, Ace found Sabo leaning against the tree. Before he could try and stop Luffy from running towards him--who knew, maybe he didn’t have his memory? Well, Luffy was gone, launching himself towards the blonde. 

“Luffy!” Sabo exclaimed, “Ace!” 

“Sabo!” Luffy cried once again, Ace running towards his friend--his brother. 

“You’re not dead!” Both Ace and Sabo exclaimed, clearly overjoyed as the two looked at each other “Me? You’re the one who was dead!” They continued to yell. 

“Ugh!” Luffy whined clutching his head, “This is hurting my head,” the boy complained. 

“You?” The ten-year-olds exclaimed in shock. 

“I’m so happy you’re both alive!” 

“Ha, about that…” Sabo trailed off looking away. 

“Wait, how did you know I died?” Ace cut him off, eyes focusing on the blonde. 

“Yeah, so… I wasn’t really dead?” Sabo chuckled, the gap in his teeth on full display at the blonde grinned. 

“What?” Ace shouted, his fist launched to the blonde’s grinning smile. 

“Hey!” Sabo shouted back with no real heat. 

“Why didn’t you get in contact with us? Why didn’t you let us know you were alive?” Ace exclaimed, ranting. 

“I had amnesia!” Sabo shouted. 

“Anime?” Luffy asked, innocently looking between the two. 

“Amnesia, it’s when you lose your memories,” Sabo explained. “I couldn’t remember anything, I only had my name from something on the beat,” Sabo explained. 

“Where were you?” Ace questioned. 

A grin spreading across Sabo’s face, the blonde laughed, “With the revolutionary army,” he laughed. “Not exactly what I thought would happen, but I was free there too, could do what I want, within reason. Even became the chief of staff,” Sabo grinned. 

“I’m still going to be a pirate,” Luffy spoke up, “the King of Pirates!” 

“Yes, Luffy, we all know. You said it right to Whitebread,” Ace rolled his eyes. 

“Well, Crescent Stache better not try this time, I know you want to make him the king, but I will get the One Piece, you can bet on it!” Luffy proclaimed. 

“About that-”

“Lu, Whitebeard never wanted to be the King of Pirates,” Sabo spoke up. 

“What? But Ace said that he was going to make Whitebeard the king,” Luffy spoke innocently. 

“Still trying to rile him up, huh Ace,” Sabo smirked looking at the brother who was hardly holding in a laugh. 

“Oh wait, Sabo, you were with the revolution army, does that mean you met my dad?” Luffy questioned. 

“You’re… dad?” 

“Yeah! Umm… Dragon? I think,” Luffy explained. 

“Dragon is your dad?” Sabo’s eyes widened. 

“I don’t know why you are surprised, this is Luffy we are talking about,” Ace rolled his eyes. 

“I have to get to Sabaody Archipelago!” Luffy suddenly shouted, heading off to where Ace and Sabo believed to be the sea. 

“Lu- Luffy!” Ace shouted, Sabo following seconds after. 

Getting to the cliff overlooking the sea, Ace and Sabo both paused in fear at the Sea King glaring down at Luffy. 

“Yeah? Well, you took Shanks’ arm!” Luffy was shouting at the Sea King. “The other guy was a jerk, so that’s fine! But Shanks is the best!” Luffy continued to yell. 

“Luffy!” Sabo hissed, trying to get Luffy’s attention. 

“You better say you’re sorry next time you see him!” Luffy still yelled. 

“Luffy!” Ace joined in trying to get the boy away from the monster. 

“What do you mean others can’t hear what you say?” Luffy raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m going to call you Magikarp,” Luffy decided. “It’s a good name!” Luffy shouted. 

“Luffy!” Sabo and Ace shouted this time. 

“Shh!” Luffy complained, “I’m trying to get Magikarp to bring me to Sabaody,” Luffy explained like it was the most simple thing in the world. 

“Luffy!” both yelled again.

“What? I got to meet my crew in two days, it’s already been too long!” Luffy explained. 

“Your crew won’t be there,” Sabo stated, “They are all back in time too. I don’t know if they remember anything, but they are back where they started too,” Sabo explained. 

“Ugh!” Luffy screamed in frustration, “I need to get them then!” Luffy decided. “Come on Magikarp! Let’s go get Zoro, and Nami, and Usopp and Sanji! Robin is in another blue I think, but we can go get Chopper, Franky, and Brook and then look for her! Come on!” Luffy exclaimed. 

“Luffy!” Ace yelled, gripping his shoulders, his fear of the Sea King suppressed for now, “You can’t go out to sea right now! You don’t know if they are even there at the moment. Think about it like this, you need to get stronger. You are still in a seven-year-olds body, you don’t know if you can even fight right now,” Ace explained. 

“But I have to go!” Luffy shouted back. 

“Come on, fight me,” Ace challenged. “If you can beat me then you can go.”

“Fine!” Luffy shouted, throwing an arm at Ace. Only it missed by a mile and when it was coming back, it hit Luffy square in the face. 

“See? You are back to your weak self!” Ace claimed, looking to Luffy. 

“Sabo! You’re the nice brother, help me!” Luffy begged. 

“Ace is right Luffy,” Sabo sighed, “but, if we all work on getting stronger, then we might just be able to do things we haven’t been able to before.”

“So we train, and then I go find my crew,” Luffy decided. 

“Okay,” Ace agreed. “When you can take down the giant tiger on your own, then you can go.”

"Deal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the three are not exactly the smartest as to thinking how they got sent back in time... but that is a discussion for the next chapter, maybe? Anyways, the time where each was taken was:  
> Ace-right after he died  
> Sabo-after he collapsed after reading about Ace  
> Luffy-probably in the submarine? That one is a little iffy, but oh well. It is before he meets Rayleigh though. 
> 
> The next chapter might take a little while I try and figure out where the heck I'm going with this story.


	3. Chapter 3

“I can take down the tiger right now!” Luffy claimed as he jumped to his feet. 

“Oh my god, Luffy, as much as I would want to as your big brother say that you are that strong, I don’t think you can do that right now,” Sabo explained. 

“Yeah, you’d get crushed,” Ace added unhelpfully. 

“Sabo! You’re the nicer brother, train me!” 

“What? Nicer brother?” Ace exclaimed. 

“He never hit me as hard as you!” 

“Sabo!” Both boys shouted looking at the rock where the blonde had been. 

Shutting their mouths, the boys looked around, confused, before hearing a loud laugh. “So I can still use haki, that’s good,” Sabo’s voice spoke from a little ways away. 

“Sabo?” Ace and Luffy turning around asked. 

In the distance, Sabo is practicing his armament haki while his brothers had been fighting -- just a normal day. Curious, Luffy walked over to his brother and looked at his hand. 

“I thought you said you didn’t have a devil fruit right now?” Luffy questioned. 

“It’s not a devil fruit, moron, it’s haki,” Ace walked up next to him. “My brother in the Moby Dick had helped me some with it too, I’m still learning, but I did get okay with it.”

“Can I learn haki?” Luffy questioned, head tilted. 

“Anyone can,” Sabo answered, “For haki, there are three forms of it, this is armament haki.”

“You know Gramp’s ‘fist of love’?” Ace questioned, “Well, he uses armament haki. Didn’t you ever wonder how he was able to hit you?” 

“Uh, no? But now that I think about it, yeah, it did hurt!” 

“Idiot,” Ace sighed. 

“Well, that was armament Haki. They are able to hit logia types like Ace’s flame-flame fruit, or Smoker’s well, smoke,” Sabo explained. 

“Then there is observational Haki,” Ace added, “it allows the user to sense the presence of others, even if they are concealed from view or too far to see naturally.”

“And the third?” Luffy questioned. 

“Conquerors,” Sabo stated, “and both you and Ace have it.”

“We do?” Luffy and Ace asked in unison. 

“What is it?” Luffy questioned. 

“In short, you make people go unconscious,” Sabo explained, “in length, it is a rare form of haki that cannot be attained through training. Only one in several million people have the ability and this type of Haki allows the user to exert their willpower over others,” Sabo stated. 

“Huh?” 

“You can make people pass out without touching them,” Sabo sighed. 

“How do you know that? Do you have all three?” Luffy wondered. 

“I have two, armament and observation,” Sabo stated, “both of you will be able to learn all three. Though I don’t know how to teach the conquerors haki to you, I can teach the other two.”

“Where did you learn all this?” Ace questioned. 

“Revolutionary army. There is a reach I was the chief of staff or otherly known as the second in command behind Dragon.”

With training beginning, the three had gone to Dadan mostly to bath, the other times staying in the woods and training. They had their fort built back up, and this time around Ace, Sabo, and Luffy had stayed clear of the Bluejam pirates, or they had… until they decided to test their strengths. 

Once again, Ace had stolen from them--they needed their pirate treasure--and the three had faced them again. 

While training, they had a better grasp of haki, though both Ace and Luffy hadn’t had that much control over their conquerors haki. 

Four years have now passed, Ace and Sabo both fourteen and Luffy eleven. This was when they began their discussion with leaving again… 

“I don’t want to wait till I’m seventeen again!” Luffy complained loudly. 

“Luffy, you still cannot leave when you are eleven, that’s idiotic,” Ace spoke right back. 

“Sabo left when he was ten!” 

“Sabo had lost his memories and Dragon took him in, not the same thing,” Sabo replied. 

“That reminds me, are you going back to the revolutionary army?” Ace asked. 

“I think so, I liked it there. I mean, going up directly against the world government? Against the nobles?” Sabo smirked. 

“Can I go with Sabo then?” Luffy questioned. 

“Sorry Lu, but I don’t think either you or Ace would really do any good there,” Sabo answered. 

“Fair,” Ace shrugged, though Luffy had begun pouting. 

“Here, how about this, Luffy goes with you Ace,” Sabo suggested. 

“What?” 

“I mean, you said you are going to get your old crew and do most of the things you did before and then fight whitebeard, right?” Sabo questioned, Ace nodding, “Well, what if Luffy comes along with you? You both can practice your conquerors haki with each other and then you can just train too. Luffy can get some experience before he gets his crew. Then he can come back when he is seventeen and gather his crew again?” Sabo explained. 

“Yeah, Ace! 

“I thought you hated the idea of joining anyone’s crew?” Ace smirked. 

“Well, I won’t be joining, I’ll be in an alliance with you till I turn seventeen,” Luffy nodded. 

“Just till you’re seventeen?” 

“Well, then I got to make an alliance with Wheatbread but I won’t let him become the Pirate King!” 

“Luffy, _Whitebeard_ doesn’t want to be the Pirate King,” Sabo sighed. 

“Wheat bread?” Ace questioned to himself. “And Sabo, I’m not just going to join Whitebeard, I’m going to fight him,” Ace stated. 

“I thought you already found out what happens when you try and fight him, like, a hundred times you found out,” Sabo replied deadpanned. 

“I got to keep some things consistent,” Ace shrugged. 

These three are really going to destroy the government one day… Sabo purposefully, Ace with his existence, and Luffy? Well, he will destroy it on accident, a very chaotic accident. 

* * *

When Ace and Sabo now turn seventeen, they set sail. Sabo to the revolutionary base, or Momoiro Island if he can’t find it, and the Ace to find his old crew. Ace had made Luffy stay back with Dadan and the bandits to train for about three years, but Luffy never really listens to plans. Instead, he stole away, hiding in a barrel. And that is how Luffy and Ace set sail this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They really will destroy the world one day...  
> I just realized in the prologue--first chapter... I wrote a star(*) by Sabo's name, I was going to stay something at the end but completely forgot. I was going to say that it's really awkward knowing both Ace and Luffy's full names and then for Sabo it's just... Sabo. It made me kind of laugh. Anyways, the next chapter will be whenever. Sorry, I don't have a good schedule for this, so just stay tuned? 
> 
> Next time, Ace will be fighting Jinbei and Luffy will be asking people to join his crew, Sabo finds Dragon, and Luffy yells at his father. Just another day in the grand line... or East Blue, who knows where the revolutionary army is right now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a shit show. Set out to sea, Luffy is a stole away, Sabo is already causing trouble, Jinbei questions life, Wheatbread is having the time of his life though.

Walking into the revolutionary base that Sabo had remembered living in for a while, he immediately finds a certain woman standing in front of him. A fighting stance is taken, and before the blow can connect, Sabo is dodging. 

“Hey Koala,” Sabo smiled. 

“Who are you and how do you know who I am?” She glared. 

“My name is Sabo, and I would like to be apart of the revolutionary army,” Sabo grinned. 

“How do I know you’re not a spy or something?” 

“Well, I was going to go to Ivankov’s island, but it was further away so I came here instead,” Sabo explained with a shrug. “As for if I am a spy or something, I think that you would make a better one. I personally can’t lie for shit according to my brothers. Either way, um… I really hate the world government, celestial dragons, and everything and I totally want to destroy the world government.”

“Well, I… Dragon will need to talk to you probably,” Koala stuttered at a loss of words. 

“Great, can’t wait to talk to him,” Sabo grinned. 

***

“So… there is a guy here wanting to talk to you Dragon,” Koala spoke unsure as she walked into Dragon’s office. 

“How did they know where we were?” 

“Ask him yourself?” Koala replied. 

“Hey Dragon,” Sabo grinned walking past the woman, “My name is Sabo, and I want to join the revolutionary army, Monkey D Dragon.”

“You know my name,” Dragon observed impartially, “How?”

“Well, I know your son, he’s my brother.”

“What?” this time Dragon showed a little more interest. 

“Well, sworn brothers,” Sabo laughed, “I want to help take down the world government.”

****

Back to Ace and Luffy…

“You little moron!” Ace yelled punching Luffy, “Why are you here?” He continued. 

“Sabo helped me!” Luffy complained back. 

“He what?” Ace screamed. 

“Sabo may have told me that I should come with, that way when I set out for sea I’d be stronger too,” Luffy explained. 

Grabbing the den den, Ace quickly dials Sabo. 

“I was wondering when you’d call,” Sabo’s voice echoes from the snail. 

With a large gasp, Ace yelled at his brother, “You  _ did  _ know?” 

“Of course I knew. Despite what you may think, you are not sneaky at all,” Sabo smirked. 

“What would I need to be sneaky about?” Ace questioned nervously. 

“About your relationship of course,” the blonde smirked. “I mean, I did even have my memories back when I figured it out.”

“You had a relationship?” Luffy questioned Ace, “Who?”

“Would you look at the time, Luffy? It looks like we should keep going. Bye Sabo!” 

“Don’t worry Luffy, call me later, I’ll tell ya,” Sabo explained before Ace quickly ended the call. 

“Not another word,” Ace glared to Luffy. 

****

A year and a half later, Luffy and Ace are stronger than they had been. Having been practicing their conqueror’s haki, the two have been able to form Ace’s old crew. And by the end of the year, Ace was facing Jinbei. 

There was a den den call between brothers before though that fight. 

“Hey! Sabo! Get Dragon!” Luffy yelled at the blonde. 

“Why?” Ace questioned, Sabo currently cackling on the other end. 

“I wanna yell at him!” 

“Why?” Ace questioned, enervated.

“I don’t know, I wanna ask if Gramps sent him to live with mountain bandits too,” Luffy shrugged. “Also! Nami tells me that everyone has a mom and dad, and apparently if I have a mom, I want to know who she is,” Luffy explained. 

“Wouldn’t we all like to know,” Ace mumbled before the obvious end of the call with Sabo sounded. 

“Did he just end it?” Luffy yelled, grabbing the snail. 

****

Much like the original timeline, and as well as unlike it, Ace and Jinbei fight. However, the fight ends around the second day with Ace winning, Luffy cheering for both parties the whole way. 

“I thought you were supposed to be my little cheerleader,” Ace turned to Luffy at the end. 

“Well, Jinbei is going to be joining my crew someday, so I had to see what he could do,” Luffy laughed loudly. Jinbei, who is just a dozen or so feet away, looked over to the brothers with something like interest, especially the younger brother. 

“Am I now?” Jinbei questioned, slowly and unsteadily getting to his feet. 

“Ooh! Are you going to fight again? That’d be so epic!” 

“No, even I can see when I’ve lost,” Jinbei conceded, “though why are you asking me to be in your crew?” 

“Well, obviously it’s because you’re strong and cool!” Luffy cheered. 

“Ignore my kid brother,” Ace smiled, “I’m guessing Whitebeard is heading here, right?” 

“Why would you like to know?” Jinbei questioned.

“I want to see for myself how strong the strongest man alive is,” Ace grinned. 

“You’ll lose,” Jinbei advised. 

“I’m counting on it,” Ace smirked. 

****

“So will you join my crew Jinbei?” Luffy questioned wide-eyed. 

“The Spade Pirates?” Jinbei asked. 

“No! The Strawhats! We won’t be active until another two years, but it’s fine. I just tagged along with Ace because my other brother suggested it. Besides, it’s so lonely by myself on my home island,” Luffy explained. 

“Well, I have things to do still, so… in two years I’ll check back in with you, how’s that?” 

“I’ll be getting my crew, so it might take a while. But keep your eyes out for a bounty poster of mine.”

****

To say that Ace lost to Whitebeard would be… it would be an understatement. No, Ace was utterly defeated, which he expected. Even with the new strength he had. 

Luffy, with no self-preservation or social cues, marched right up to Whitebeard, but instead of a punch or anything harsh, he grinned. 

“Hey, Wheat bread, wanna join my pirate crew? I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!” 

Yeah, no one expected that. Thatch, watching from the Moby, got on his knee cackling in laughter, Marco, a normally stoic man, laughed at the kid, the rest of the crew stood frozen at the young boy’s guts. Or they feared for Whitebeard's reaction to his new… nickname. 

“What’s your name, son,” Whitebeard inquired. 

“I’m Monkey D Luffy, captain of the Strawhat Pirates and I’m going to be King of the Pirates!” 

“Strawhat pirates?” Whitebeard questioned. 

“Idiot!” Ace hissed, slapping a hand over the boy’s mouth, “Um, he isn’t a captain, will be, just… not right now,” Ace explained hastily. “Stop saying you are already a captain, you aren’t! Geez, I’m going to give Sabo a real fight next time he pulls something like this again, why did he think me bringing you would be a good idea?” 

“I don’t know,” Luffy mumbled around Ace’s hand. 

“Well, Strawhat Luffy, I’m looking forward to seeing you try. Though it does mean you’d need to fight me one day too,” Whitebeard grinned. 

“And I’ll win!” Luffy proclaimed. “You aren’t going to be king of the pirates!” 

“And you, Portgas D Ace, First Fist, what about you?” 

“I’m going to defeat you,” Ace answered. 

“What about instead of fighting me, you join me,” Whitebeard suggested. 

Silence enclosed the bay, Ace stood, staring at Whitebeard, the other pirates watching in surprise and expectation, and Luffy still had large eyes and an even bigger grin. 

“Um… ummm…. Okay,” Ace decided, smirking. 

_ That was way too easy,  _ Whitebeard Pirates thought, most falling on their faces. Whitebeard and the division commanders only smiled at their newest brother/son. 

* * *

As Luffy takes the trip back home, calling for a certain Sea King for a lift, Ace goes to join Whitebeard on the Moby. Sabo is at the revolutionary base, Koala, and Dragon nearby as they plan an attack. 

* * *

Life on the Moby Dick: 

“So why’d you decide on joining the crew? You seemed to want to fight Pops,” Thatch questioned walking up to Ace. 

“Thought it would be fun,” the freckled man laughed. 

“Yeah, our family is full of misfits, but we all-- Ace?” Thatch yelled looking at the man who had just collapsed on the floor. “Marco! I think I killed Ace!” 

“What are you yelling about so early, Thatch?” Marco groaned walking over to the freaking out fourth division commander. 

“Ace is dead!” He cried out. 

“What?” The blonde’s eyes widened looking over to the young adult. Marco was really believing it too until the man began to snore. Shooting an unimpressed look to Thatch, Marco began walking away. 

“He was just talking and then he collapsed!” Thatch defended himself as other members of the crew began to look at him strangely. 

***

The next time it happens, Ace is eating. Stuffing his face more like it. It’s the party for Ace joining the family, and all was going well. Pops was getting drunk, drinking way too much booze if you ask any nurse or Marco, and Thatch was making a lot of food, every bite going to be eaten as there is an Ace on board. 

“Whoa! This is so good,” Ace grinned eating something that was placed in front of him. 

“Finally, a brother that appreciates me!” Thatch grinned about to head back to the kitchen when there were a loud thump and screams from behind him. 

Ace, face down in the plate, fork raised in the air with a bite of food on it. Izo, walking up to the large haired commander smirked, “Maybe he just gets pit to sleep at the sound of your voice.” 

***

At some point, Ace falling asleep had become a normal thing. A memorable instance when he was about to spar with one of the crew and before he could actually attack, he fell asleep, punching himself in the process. 

Needless to say, the crew decided that Ace both won and lost that match. 

* * *

Two more years, a lot of destruction of government, more family bonding, and a whole lot more training and chatting with the Sea King, the ASL brothers were doing good for the time being. All until Luffy finally left home and Thatch found that cursed fruit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment, leave a kudo, um, I don't know. Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. And if there is a ship or something you want to see, comment, or something, I don't really know. I'm thinking of a couple of other ideas for One Piece stories, but I'm going to get this one done first.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teach goes down, Luffy and Sabo gossip.

“Are you going to ask Nami if she wants to beat Arlong’s ass now, or are you going to wait until she steals your gold and boat till you ask?” Sabo asked Luffy over the den den. 

“I’ll ask her now, and then if she ignores it, I’ll beat his ass anyways,” Luffy decided. 

“Technically she isn’t in your crew right now, right?” Sabo asked. 

“What? No! She is!” Luffy argued. 

“You can’t be on two different crew, Luffy,” Sabo explained. 

“Well, she will be!” Luffy shouted. 

Sabo, ever the gentleman, held back his laughter at the snail’s mouth being as big as the shell and the eyes just as big. 

“Okay, Luffy,” Sabo chuckled, “Have you heard from Ace recently?” 

“No? Haven’t you?”

“No,” Sabo sighed, “oh well, if you ever need help with something call me, Luffy. I still can’t believe you named a Sea King Magikarp and that it brought you back home.”

“Magikarp told me that he’d help me train when I was home, so for the year I was back home again we trained,” Luffy grinned.

“Okay, well, have fun, I’ll talk to you later.”

* * *

“What are you going to do with it, Thatch?” one of the Whitebeard pirates questioned. 

While everyone’s eyes were glued to the fruit and to Thatch, Ace looked right behind him, Teach. The glare he gave Thatch as the cook held up the fruit. 

No, no, no, no,” Ace thought, stumbling backwards. 

“You gonna fall asleep?” Marco questioned from right behind the brunette. 

“Um… no, no, um, I, I got to go,” Ace stumbled over what to say before hurrying towards Pops’ room. 

“Son,” Whitebeard greeted as the fire logia burst through the doorway. “Are you okay?”

“No, um, yes? Uh, I got to tell you something,” Ace explained hurriedly. 

“Great, I was going to have Marco come and find you, I need to ask you something,” Whitebeard explained. 

Ask him something? Ace wondered, something clicked as he thought more about it, this was when Whitebeard asked Ace to be the second division commander. 

“Yeah?” Ace wondered, already knowing the words to come from Whitebeard next. 

“You have done a great job, and everyone on the crew loves you. That’s why I want to ask you if you’d be the second division commander. There’d be more work, but I know you’d be able to handle it. There hasn’t been a second division command for a while and the second div-”

“No, I can’t,” Ace whispered looking at Whitebeard, “I can’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just can’t.” 

“If this is about your father-”

“It’s not about him,” Ace cut him off again. 

“Then, if it’s about the amount of work or responsibilities, well, all commanders weren’t that great at the beginning but they learn. You will too,” Whitebeard comforted. 

“No!” Ace snapped, “I can’t be the commander because of who is in the division!” Ace yelled before it really processed to him what he said. “Shit…”

“Who?” Whitebeard focused his eyes. 

“Um, uh, sorry… just, forget I said anything,” Ace tried to deflect turning away. 

“Ace, you said you needed to tell me something. Does this have to do with that?” Whitebeard questioned, spot on. 

“No! Well, ugh, I just… Fuck,” Ace hissed. “It’s about Thatch,” Ace admitted. 

“What about him? I heard he found a devil fruit recently,” Whitebeard added. 

“That’s the problem, the devil fruit… Someone on our crew is going to steal it and kill Thatch to do it,” Ace explained. 

“Steal and kill?” Whitebeard glared, “is that supposed to be a threat?” 

“No,” Ace whispered, his voice shaking. “No, I… I am going to tell you something and you are going to think I am crazy and okay, maybe I am. But I just, I need you to listen to me and please believe me,” Ace ranted. 

“Go ahead, son.”

“I saw the future? I’m from the future? I don’t know, it’s just, my brothers and I had been in the future, like, a couple months from now and something happened, something bad. The brother is close to the same age as me, well, he forgot everything as a kid and then he remembered and he hated what happened, my younger brother, he was there, and he felt like he was too weak. He wasn’t, he really wasn’t,” Ace rambled. 

“And what about you?” Whitebeard questioned, “It sounds like both of your brothers had regrets, and following that thought, that means you would have a regret too, what was it?”

“I… I died,” Ace stuttered looking at the floor. “I died in my younger brother’s arms, and my other brother hadn’t even remembered me until he got the news. We all woke up younger as in the forest together. We all tried to get as strong as we could, but-”

“Ace, breathe,” Whitebeard spoke calmly. “You said you died, that you were thrown back in time with your brothers. But what makes you think that someone will steal the devil fruit and kill Thatch?” 

“Because that is what started this whole thing,” Ace explained, “I went after the man at blame, and he caught me. Turned me into the government, my father was revealed to the world, and Luffy, my dumbass brother, he got in the middle of the war at Marineford, the war that you were going to lay down your life at. My brother had gotten me free, I was running, but then I was an idiot and I fought Akainu, I died because of him,” Ace explained. 

“Who was it that turned you in? Who killed Thatch?” 

“Teach,” Ace answered softly. 

“Teach?” Whitebeard inquired, eyes wide. “We can’t kick out one of our members based on a crime that had even come to pass.”

“So you don’t believe me,” Ace whispered. 

“I do,” Whitebeard spoke firm, “I do believe you Ace, but other members of the crew, I’m not sure how they’d react.”

“So what are you going to do?” Ace wondered. 

“Get Marco and Thatch here, then we’ll discuss,” Whitebeard explained. 

* * *

“I’m in the Grand Line now!” Luffy exclaimed over the Den Den, “Where are you anyways?”

“Secret,” Sabo chuckled.

“No fair!”

“Anyways, Ace really hasn’t answered any calls recently, I have half a mind to ask for Whitebeard’s Den Den number,” Sabo muttered.

“I’m sure he'd be fine,” Luffy shrugged.

“Hey, do you remember when Ace got captured?” Sabo wondered.

“Well, it was after Alabasta, Ace helped me and my crew when we were in the desert and heading there. Right now we are heading there now, we just got Chopper to join our crew,” Luffy explained. 

“Chopper is the reindeer doctor, right?” Sabo questioned. 

“Yup!”

“Wait, Luffy, if I remember right, from what both you and Ace told me, Ace had been looking for Blackbeard already when you were at Drum Island, which is where you met Chopper. That would mean either Ace had stopped Blackbeard this time…”

“Or something happened to Ace,” Luffy caught on. 

“He isn’t answering my calls either,” Sabo noted. “Okay, I’m getting in contact with Whitebeard, I’ll tell you what I find out,” Sabo explained. 

“Okay…”

* * *

“Whitebeard Pirates, state your name and reason for calling,” Haruta’s voice answered the Den Den on the Moby Dick 

“Name’s Sabo, and I’m looking for a guy,” Sabo answered simply. “Portgas D Ace,” Sabo added. 

“What’s your purpose with him?” The Den Den’s eyes squinted from the other end. 

“He’s my brother, I know all of you are brothers too, anyways, I just want to check up on him. Make sure he is okay,” Sabo explained. “He hasn’t answered my Den Den calls.”

“Okay,” Harurta answered slowly. “Ace! You got someone on the line,” Haruta yelled out of the room. 

“Huh?” Ace question walked over, “Who is it?”

“A guy named Sabo? Says he’s your brother.”

“Shit…” Ace hissed to himself, “Hey! Sabo,” Ace forced himself to grin avoiding eye contact with the snail with the black top hat. 

“Well, you’re not dead, so that’s a good sign. At least for now you aren’t,” Sabo glared. 

“I’m sorry! I’ve been busy lately with stuff, I just got promoted and I’ve been busy,” Ace huffed. 

“Oh, so you mean you haven’t been boning a certain blue pigeon?” Sabo continued to glare. 

“Hey!” Ace yelped, “I’ve been busy, okay? I just talked to Pops about the whole, future, back in time, thing,” Ace explained. 

“How did he take it?” Sabo wondered. 

“Surprisingly well. Marco is looking into how that could have happened, Thatch is giving me extra food, and Pops is just… Pops,” Ace explained. 

“Well, that’s good. And hey, now the age difference between you and that pigeon is ten years less,” Sabo snorted. 

“I hate you,” Ace glared. “Now, is there another point for you to be calling me?”

“Oh, I don’t know, just the fact you haven’t called back in the past month? Thought that would have been a good reason to call,” Sabo glared again. 

“Right…” Ace winced, “Well, I’m alive. And I’m busy again, so… I’ll call you later, I’ll tell you about us taking down Teach,” Ace explained. 

Before Sabo could argue the Den Den cut off and the snail went back to sleep. Calling back Luffy with the news of Ace just being an idiot, Luffy laughed and carried on with his mission of beating Crocodile. 

* * *

“So how did you win against Teach?” Sabo asked his brother that night. 

“Well…”

_ Waiting until Thatch had been alone, Teach was about to make his move. Before the blow had come and most likely taken the cook’s life, a swirl of red wrapped around Teach as Thatch took out his blades to glare at the traitor.  _

_ “Teach,” Whitebeard’s deep voice growled from the doorway.  _

_ “Whitebeard,” Teach growled back. “How did you know?”  _

_ “I can see into the future,” Whitebeard answered, completely lying, but not really. “Now, just what were you doing?”  _

“In short, Blackbeard is now probably dead in a Sea King’s stomach and Thatch threw the devil fruit in a stone chest to fall to the ocean floor,” Ace wrapped up. 

“That was… very anticlimactic,” Sabo noticed. 

“With everything that had led up to it, you know, me dying and the war, I’d say it’s a perfect ending for him,” Ace replied. 

“Yeah, yeah it is. Hey, I got a certain bounty with me, have you seen it?” Sabo smirked. 

“A certain straw hat wearing pirate’s bounty?” Ace grinned. 

“I’m excited to see what he does this time around,” Sabo smiled. 

* * *

_ How much Sabo is going to be regretting those words…  _

Sabo had left with Koala for a mission on information gathering, the target, Bartholomew Kuma and everything around him. Due to this, Sabo finds himself going towards the Sabaody to investigate, it will take a couple days till they arrive, and by the time they arrive… it will be too late. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, Ace is with Marco, very minor, nothing too big. Well, there is that chapter, left predictions, comments, things you'd want to happen. Next chapter is going to be a little amusing, and Jinbei returns... though I bet he'd be anywhere but where he is.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp, Ace avoids Teach, doesn't mean he avoids Marineford.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

“Portgas D. Ace,” a voice called from behind the raven-haired man. 

“That would be me,” Ace slowly spoke, looking at the man wearing red and a white cape on his shoulders. Marine, Ace realized. “Admiral,” Ace added. His mind catching up to who exactly this is. 

“Second division commander of the Whitebeard pirates,” he continued. 

“You know, as much as this conversation is fascinating, I have some things to grab,” Ace smirked. 

“I’m sure I can make things less boring,” the admiral threatened.

“Great,” Ace grinned, his smile falling at the first sight of magma. 

Breathing hitched, his mind filled with phantom pains, of a fist going through his stomach, of pain, so much pain. 

He couldn’t breathe, did he already attack? Why couldn’t Ace focus? God, he feels so weak. Wait, there is laughing, who is laughing? 

“Weak pirate scum,” the low voice spoke aloud. 

Did he lose? Before much more thinking, his breathing not slowing down, his strength ripped from his body, darkness followed. Shit. 

* * *

“I met the first mate on Gold Roger’s ship!” Luffy told Sabo over the den-den. 

“That’s awesome,” Sabo smiled, “Where are you right now?” 

“At this Shakky’s Bar place,” Luffy explained. “I also may have punched a celestial dragon,” Luffy laughed ignoring the bugging eyes of the snail in front of him. 

“Luffy!”

“He was going to buy my friend!” Luffy defended himself, “Besides, he was a jerk.”

“Not the point!” 

“Hey, didn’t Ace say he’d be here soon? I wonder if he has landed here yet,” Luffy ignored his brother. 

“Who knows,” Sabo gave up trying to reason, “Maybe he is already on Fishman Island. I’m actually heading towards where you guys are too.”

“Really? Why?” Luffy beamed at the snail. 

“Spy stuff,” Sabo deflected. 

“So cool!” 

“Oi! Luffy, we should get going,” Zoro’s voice called over to his captain. 

“Right! Bye Sabo!” 

“Good luck, Luffy.”

* * *

In the group of the recent battle, Luffy has his head hitting the ground in grove 12. 

“What’s wrong with me?” Luffy yelled to no one, “I couldn’t even save a single Nakama, again!” Luffy shouted as tears welled up in his eyes. 

“We will not be seeing each other again,” Bartholomew Kuma spoke before he readied his fist, “Farewell,” he said as there was one last poof. 

* * *

Looking around as Luffy woke up, he was in the middle of a paw print, one he remembered laying in years ago. “I’m alive,” Luffy commented. He knew he would be, but he still isn’t sure about his Nakama. Where are they? He never figured it out, he thought this time would be different, that they would stay together. But he still couldn’t save them. He still needs to get stronger.

Searching for the vivre card for Rayleigh, Luffy took off in its direction. He just needs to get back to Sabaody. 

Running into a wall, Luffy couldn’t help but feel confused, despite having this same thing happen years ago. 

“Gum Gum… Giant Pistol!” Luffy shouted, throwing his fist at the mountain. 

Laying on his back, the dark-haired teen let out a puff of air. A glance behind him saw a boar watching him in confusion, “Hm?” 

* * *

Everything going down much like last time, Luffy is finally eating food around the Kuja Pirates, listening to the others talking. And like last time, Luffy is listening as the older woman reads the newspaper. And just like last time, the public execution of a pirate is being announced. 

Portgas D. Ace, in six days, he is to be executed. 

The vivre card Luffy pulls from his hat is burning around the edges. 

“I have to save him!” Luffy shouted, jumping up to his feet. 

“Hold on,” the old lady yelled, “Are you actually thinking of just running over there and somehow saving your brother? Don’t you know that you won’t even make it to Impel Down?” 

“Huh?” 

* * *

“Sabo,” Koala called from nearby, “Dragon is planning something, it’s time-sensitive apparently,” the woman explained walking up to the blonde. 

“What’s going on?” 

“Well, all of the War Lords and Admirals, and most marines are heading to Marineford right now, due to the lack of government that will be everywhere, Dragon is planning some big stuff,” Koala explained. 

“Why is everyone heading that way?” Sabo questioned. 

“Something about an execution,” Koala answered, “One of Whitebeard’s commanders.”

“You have got to be kidding me…” Sabo began, “Who?” 

“A guy named Portgas D. Ace, pretty big bounty.”

“So… you know how I sometimes call my brothers? Like, every once in a while?” Sabo began, a small grimace on his face. 

“Yeah?”

“Well, my idiot brother, well, he is a hothead, and my other brother is an idiot. They are both idiots actually-”

“Sabo, get to the point.” 

“First Fist Ace is my brother,” Sabo blurted out, “So… tell Dragon that I’m going to head out for a little, I’ll check in later!” The blonde grinned before running off. 

“Hold up!” Koala yelled, Sabo still running away, "Sabo!" 

* * *

“Are you ready Luffy?” Hancock questioned as they reached Impel Down, “You will be on your own from here on out. Got it?” 

“Yup!” Luffy nodded, determined to save Ace this time. 

“Okay.”

* * *

“Pops, what are we doing, yoi?” Marco asked, walking up to the emperor. 

“Ace told us about what happened before… His younger brother goes to Impel Down to save him. We will call our allies… I don’t know,” Whitebeard spoke. 

“Pops!” Haruta’s voice yelled as he left a room in the Moby Dick, “We have a call for you and… a blue flaming chicken,” Haruta spoke trying to keep his voice even. 

“Please don’t say it’s Shanks again, yoi,” Marco sighed out, still walking forward. 

“Don’t think so, say his name is Sabo,” Haruta explained. “So unless Shanks is making his crew get on this, I think this is someone else.”

“Great, yoi.”

* * *

“Who is this?” Whitebeard questioned over the snail phone. 

“My name is Sabo, and I would like to talk about something,” Sabo smiled. 

“Being?” 

“Ace,” Sabo grinned, “I want to help free him, currently I am near Marineford and I’d like to know your plans to help him,” Sabo explained. 

“Brother, yoi? So, you know Luffy then?” Marco questioned. 

“Yeah, the idiot is already in Impel Down again. Hancock, I guess helped him last time so she is probably helping him again.”

“Hancock? The man-hating pirate, yoi?” Marco questioned, shocked. 

“That’s what Luffy told Ace and me.”

“He talked to Ace?” Whitebeard questioned. 

“Well, that… um… Ace told you how he was sent back in time, right?” Sabo clarified, “Well, he wasn’t the only one. Luffy and I had also been sent back, Luffy told us about his attempt to save Ace, and we all decided that we’d get stronger. But apparently that didn’t stop Ace from getting captured anyways,” Sabo explained. 

“So what are you doing once you get to the Marine HQ?” Whitebeard questioned. 

“First I’m going to go see Garp, then I’m going to help my brother escape,” Sabo explained. 

“Garp? Garp the Fist, yoi?” 

“Yeah, Ace, Luffy, and my gramps. I’m just hoping he doesn’t give me one of his fist of love,” Sabo shuddered. “Anyways, I gotta get going, if you do show up, which you most likely will, it’s going to be a battle with many losses. So be prepared, I got to call someone else. Talk later!” 

“So that’s the third brother,” Whitebeard laughed. “Something tells me Ace will survive this time…”

“A marine hero grandfather, the leader of a revolutionary father, the pirate king as a father, and then for themselves, a second in command revolutionary, a pirate captain, future pirate king if he has anything to do about it, and a pirate commander for one of the emperors of the sea, a weird bunch of brothers they are, yoi,” Marco commented. 

“I guess it’s time to prepare for war,” Whitebeard spoke grimly. 

* * *

“Gum Gum… Pistol!” Luffy shouted, running around the prison. So much for it being impenetrable. 

* * *

Meanwhile… 

“Hey Red Hair Shanks, I think you know my brothers,” Sabo smiled at the Den Den call went through. 

“Who?”

“Luffy and Ace,” Sabo clarified. 

“Ah, Anchor and Firecracker, I know them.”

“Then I think you’ve heard of Ace’s execution?” 

“Ah, I have. I’ve been thinking about that,” Shanks admitted. 

“Well, I know you don’t have any real stake in it, but I just want to tell you some stuff,” Sabo explained. 

“Is that so.”

“Yeah, first of all, your old captain, Captain Roger, well, his son may have escaped the marine’s grasp all those years ago,” Sabo started. 

“What?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of skipping around, sorry. Most of what Luffy is doing is according to cannon besides some small stuff, like in the prison he isn't getting as distracted with the guards, but he still gets to level four and meets Ivonkov again. 
> 
> Ace had gotten captured easily because he had a panic attack at seeing the magma, I mean, he did die because of it. 
> 
> Sabo is planning a lot, and he is getting ready to punch Garp in the face, just because. The next chapter will be the actual war, but there are some... changes. :)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, next chapter will be up when I finish it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, who was more surprised? The pirates or the marines?

“What?” Shanks questioned the blond.

“Yeah, Portgas D. Ace, son of Portgas D. Rouge and Gol D. Roger. Our shitty gramps got him safe living in the East Blue.”

“And now Ace got caught, and the government knows about his parentage?” 

“That would be best to assume,” Sabo agreed. “So, I may have a plan to save Ace, though Luffy is at Impel Down right now… so things might… be more strange. I think I haven’t checked in with him since I’ve gotten the news,” Sabo explained. 

“Wait, Anchor is  _ at  _ Impel Down? You mean inside of it?”

“Not as impenetrable as the marines make it out to be,” Sabo chuckled. “So, you in?”

“Cause mayhem for the marines? Why not.”

* * *

“Sabo, you do know that this plan is… well, impossible?” Koala groaned over the den-den. 

“Yes, it should be,” Sabo laughed, “though this time- I mean, I trust my brother. I know he can defeat the wardens. Besides, I have a feeling he is going to save Ivankov while there,” Sabo explained. 

“You mean Ivankov is still there? I thought he died,” Koala commented. 

“Marines just want to save face. A prison riot with some people dying in the middle of it? Not a big deal, losing a prisoner, that’s another thing,” Sabo explained. 

“Okay, so your kid brother is going to save a revolutionary, and he is going to beat the guards, what then? Save Ace?”

“I do think that Luffy will succeed with saving Ace,” Sabo agreed. 

“Wait… then why are you going to be at Marineford?” 

“Chaos, mayhem, why not?”

“Sabo!” Koala whined, “We are supposed to be staying low, you know, out of the public eye? This will make you the center of attention,” Koala stated. 

“I’ll be careful-”

“Not much coming from you,” Koala glared at the snail with a tall black top hat. 

“I’ll be as careful as you would be,” Sabo added. 

“You better be!” 

* * *

“Everybody out!” Luffy laughed, unlocking the door for every level one prisoner. “Prison break!” The same action is repeated another five times… 

* * *

“Captain, we're going to save that Fire Fist Ace kid?” Lucky Roo questioned walking up to the redhead. 

“Yeah, I got to probably save Anchor too,” Shanks sighed. 

“Luffy is going to be there too?” Yassop questioned, “Please don’t say that my son will be there too.”

“As far as Anchor’s and Firecracker’s brother told me, then Luffy is going to be on his own with prison breakouts apparently. The kid got himself in Impel Down somehow,” Shanks laughed loudly. 

“I don't even want to ask,” Benn sighed exhaustedly. 

* * *

“Ace! I’ve come to save you!” Luffy exclaimed jumping over to his brother, Jimbei some feet away. “You too, Jimbei!”

“Straw hat,” Jimbei acknowledged. “As happy as I am to see you, and I'm curious, how are you supposed to get us out of the cuffs?”

“Three! You’re up,” Luffy grinned looking at a man with his hair in a weird hairdo of a number three. 

Freeing both Ace and Jimbei, the other prisoners on level six began yelling. Luffy ignoring them, even Crocodile. 

“He attacked Wheat Bread last time,” Luffy shrugged while running back to the exit of the prison. Ivankov is already near the way out. 

“Scissors person, can you cut us a way up through the levels?” Luffy questioned. 

Nodding their head, Luffy and company all began their great escape. 

* * *

The Whitebeard allies appear on the horizon, marines worried but prepared for the clash of forces. The Moby Dick, appearing from under the water, many marines shocked about how they missed the massive ship. Next had marines all over panicking, the Red-Haired Pirates, closer than the allies, yet still farther away from the Moby Dick. 

“Why are there two yonko ships here?” Multiple people panicked. 

* * *

Minutes passed the arranged time of the execution, pirates and marines alike looked at each other in confusion… Where is the person that began this whole war? 

“Where is Fire Fist Ace?” Sengoku questioned his spot at the execution platform. Garp, with a very noticeable handprint on his face, and two executioners stand confused. Well, Garp less so, but still confused. 

Running up to the platform, a regular marine stumbled looking up to the larger marines. 

“Um… Fleet Admiral Sengoku, we um… there is a problem,” the unlucky marine that needs to give the news is shaking in his boots. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Well, Fire Fist Ace wasn’t… he can’t be located, sir.”

“You mean he escaped?” 

“There had been reports of Monkey D. Luffy breaking in and causing a mass break out,” the poor marine had to explain. 

Garp, feeling a mixture of pride, amusement, shock, and anger, is still only thought of one thing. “Just be strong enough that I won’t be able to catch you,” the marine thought looking out to the crowd of high ranking marines all ready for war. 

* * *

Despite the subject of the war not being there, marines began to attack the pirates. Pirates doing the same. 

The war had continued for about half an hour until something… different happened. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” the blonde spoke, he ran around the building to get information before he needed to fight. But there wasn’t a reason he needed to fight it turned out because Ace wasn’t even there. Someone needs to explain that not being at your own execution is just bad etiquette. 

While running around, Sabo had looked outside of the windows often to check the progression of the war, but while running around, he became frozen. Despite hearing about what happened in the previous timeline, Sabo still couldn’t wrap his head around it. 

Flying from the sky was a marine ship, falling off that ship were dozens of people. Most prisoners in black and white clothes, but a few in normal clothes. 

Luffy, Ace, Ivankov, and much more Sabo couldn’t recognize quickly, were falling from the sky to the ground. Ace with a face of… confusion is the only emotion Sabo could place. Luffy with an expression of pure joy and Ivankov clearly wanted to be anywhere but there. 

* * *

“Um… Pops?” Marco started hesitantly, he was flying in the hybrid form of his arms like wings, and he was nearing Whitebeard when the unpredictable happened. 

“Yes, Son?” 

“Ace is here, yoi,” Marco finally spoke after stumbling for words. “And it looks like he got his straw hat brother of his.”

“Ah, that brat,” Whitebeard grinned, “he sure is something.”

“I guess Luffy had actually changed some things.”

* * *

Needless to say, with the target of the war free, and fighting already near the pirates, the pirates began their retreat. Ace’s secret is still hidden, and Luffy uninjured. Sabo couldn’t hold in his laughter when he arrived back at the revolutionary base with Ivankov, a thousand marine secrets he found in his hands. 

“So… Ace escaped and got away from his own execution,” Koala clarified, “but then he fell right in the middle of it.”

“I don’t know who was more shocked, the marines or the pirates,” Sabo laughed loudly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really just love the idea of Luffy had gotten Ace out of Impel Down, but then still crashed in the middle of Marineford, because why not? 
> 
> No one died, everyone is doing well right now. Sabo is just laughing, Koala at least happy that Sabo didn't get seen. Luffy is partying with the Whitebeards, sorry, Wheat Breads, and Rayleigh will make an appearance next chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

While on the Moby Dick, groups of pirates stood around laughing, drinking, dancing, anything they would do to celebrate the retrieval of Fire Fist Ace back on the Moby Dick. Luffy, who is quickly becoming friends with everyone close by, is laughing, eating, dozing off every few seconds, and hugging his brother. 

"Luffy, let go of me," Ace whined trying to get away from his rubber brother. "You saved me this time, everything is fine."

"But-but- last time I couldn't save you! Last time I failed, and this time I almost did too!" Luffy cried, still stuffing meat in his mouth. 

"What do you mean last time?" Thatch questioned leaving another plate near the black hole. (Luffy's mouth) 

"Do he save last time? I think he said... Lap Slime..." Ace struggled to find something else to say. 

"No... no... I'm pretty sure that he said last time, and it was when he wasn't even crying or eating for a moment. So... what is that supposed to mean?" Haruta added in. 

"Umm..."

"I think it's time to tell them, son," Whitebeard voiced over by his chair. "Shanks, you wanna hear a story?"

"Why not." 

* * *

Calling a commander's meeting--plus Luffy and Shanks who just showed up--got many odd looks, either at the timing of it, or the Straw Hat's captain joining. Though most pirates just continued with what they were doing. 

"Alright, I'm confused!" Thatch announced looking from his Captain, Ace, to Luffy, and then continuing to look at the three. 

"That's not new," Izo commented with a smirk as Thatch let out a squawk. 

"So... I guess I got to tell you all about... stuff," Ace mentioned awkwardly. "So, Thatch was supposed to die," he spoke bluntly. Almost immediately chaos broke out in the room, Thatch mostly, but at the head of the table, Whitebeard, and Marco sitting to his right, both facepalmed at the bluntness. 

"Idiot," Marco whispered to himself. 

"Hey! You're the ones who wanted me to explain!" Ace yelled towards the bird. 

"Yeah, explain, not just say that Thatch had died!" 

"Well, you already know! What do you tell them!" 

"Because this is your story or whatever! I'm not going to be the one to say that you, Thatch, and Pops died!" 

Silence ran through the room, Luffy still looking around without much care in the world. Marco had his mouth open as the words he said just registered, meanwhile, Ace was nearly laughing, barely holding it back. 

"Well, that plan didn't work out that well, huh?" Ace laughed looking at Marco. 

"Can I please hit him?" Marco pleaded, looking at pops. 

"Wait, I thought Sabo said that you two were together?" Luffy finally spoke up looking between the two. 

Almost immediately more chaos and yelling entered the room. 

"What? When did this happen? We had bets!" Haruta whined. 

"Wait, are we just ignoring that Pops and Ace died? And ME!?" Thatch yelled over everyone. 

"Okay, son, I think you should start at the beginning," Whitebeard advised looking at Ace. 

"I technically did," Ace answered, but sighed out looking at the table. "Well, since I'm starting at the beginning... I fought Jinbei for 5 days, and he ended in a drawl. It gave you enough time to show up after the fifth day. Jinbei fought me because I wanted Whitebeard's head, and when you all got to the island, I pretty much knew I was going to lose. But I made a fire fence to separate you and my crew, I told them to get away. Well, Whitebeard beat me easily," Ace chuckled. 

"Wait, five days? That wasn't..." Namur commented confused. 

"Anyways, I basically passed out, and you all took me on the Moby Dick. When I woke up I didn't want anything to do with you, tried to kill Pops like a hundred times in the two months I was on board before I finally joined the crew."

"Wait, you joined the crew the moment Pops asked you," Izo commented lost in this story. 

"Later that year was when Thatch had just found the dark-dark fruit, but... Teach was there, and last time, he killed Thatch to get the fruit. He literally stabbed him in the back," Ace explained. 

"But that never happened?" Izo asked curiously. 

Ignoring him, Ace continued on, "And after all that happened, I was the commander of the second division, Pops told me that this would be a special case and he tried to convince me to stop and not go after him. Obviously I was stubborn and I went anyways," Ace explained. 

"That sounds like you... but wait, Thatch never died?" 

"I met up with my brother's crew in Alabasta when I was looking for Teach. Teach was also in the area, but when I fought him, I lost. I underestimated that fruit and I was captured and sent to impel down. I met up with Jinbei again there. I was there for a while and then my execution came up," Ace explained. 

"But-"

"Will you stop interrupting? I'll explain in a moment," Ace sighed out. "So... execution. My brother was on Sabaody at the time, and his crew all got separated over the world, at least that's what Sabo and I think, mostly Sabo. Anyways, Luffy got sent to Boa Hancock's island, and when most men would have probably been turned to stone, Luffy became... friends(?) with Boa Hancock and her crew. After that, he heard the news of my execution, and Hancock helped him get into the prison. Hancock told me when she visited that Luffy was in the prison," Ace explained. 

"He's friends with Hancock?" nearly every commander questioned curiously. 

"Well, she keeps saying that I'm her beloved, I don't know what that means," Luffy shrugged. 

Silence... just silence as every pirate took in the information. Everyone yelled again, Whitebeard laughed, and Marco looked done with these brothers. 

"Okay, well, anyways. Luffy caused problems in the prison, but he didn't get to me before the marines got me out of the prison and on the way to Marineford. Then there was the whole war, I was actually there. Luffy still fell from the sky cause he is still an idiot, and then we all fought. Luffy got to me and I was free, but then..."

"Stupid magma dude," Luffy pouted with a grim look. 

"Well, yeah, Akainu kind of killed me," Ace grimaced, his hand unconsciously rubbing over his stomach. "After that, Jinbei got Luffy somewhere, I'm not really sure where he went, neither does Sabo. Luffy was out of it, so who knows. But, after that, the war went on. Whitebeard died, and then Shanks came and ended the war-"

"Hell yeah I would!" Shanks spoke up for the first time.

"That was pretty much all Sabo or Luffy or myself remember," Ace explained, ignoring the red-hair captain's interruption. 

"Wait, so all three of you remembered everything?" 

"Who knows why, I think Marco was going to look into it," Ace shrugged. 

"Not a lot about it that I found out," Marco shrugged. 

"But yeah, that is about it," Ace answered. "Oh, well, and then I got sent back in time and so did Luffy and Sabo when we were kids and just when I met Luffy. We trained more and then we each set sea when we were seventeen, well... Luffy went with me even when I did want him to!" 

"Sabo said I could!" Luffy whined, still beginning to laugh when Ace hit him over the head. 

"Anyways, that's about that." 

"Wait, but you still got taken to Impel Down," Haruta mentioned. 

"Yeah, well, I guess some things are fixed in time, at least that's what Sabo was mentioning when he was talking about what could happen. Like, somethings are just fixed in time to happen no matter what. I guess that was one of those things then, and when that happened well... it was Akainu who found me this time, and I may have had a... panic attack, and I kind of just passed out?" 

"What?" Marco questioned. 

"I don't know, he freaked me out and I panicked."

"Wait!" Izo exclaimed suddenly remembering something, "You two, when did this happen?" Izo glared looking at the two pirates. 

"Well, originally, Marco had tried to get me to stay by saying he likes me, the manipulative ass, but then I said when I get back, when I get back we can try," Ace explained, but well, you know what happened."

"Wait, so the flaming pigeon made the first move?" Shanks questioned.

"Shit," Haruta mumbled.

"Anyways, when I went back in time, I wanted to save Thatch and Whitebeard, but I also wanted to give it a try with Marco. So, we got together probably... a month or so after I joined."

"Ha!" Jozu exclaimed, "I win!" 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Haruta pouted. 

* * *

"Is there a Strawhat Luffy here?" An older voice questioned looking over the ship's deck. 

"Um... he is in the meeting room," A shaky voice answered. 

"Great." 

* * *

"Hello Whitebeard," the older voice spoke walking into the room without much of a care. 

"Hey! Rayleigh!" Shank shouted happily, "Whacha doing here?" 

"Looking for the boy with Roger's hat," Rayleigh answered. 

"Oi! Luffy, you got a visitor," Ace told the youngest person in the room. 

"Who are you old man?" Luffy questioned ignoring the yelling about respect and first-mate. 

Needless to say, Rayleigh took it upon himself to train Luffy.

* * *

Leaving the Moby Dick a couple of days later, Shanks soon than Luffy, had told Rayleigh that he needs to get a message out to his crew. Heading to the destroyed Marineford, Luffy would ring the bell sixteen times before he would stand for a picture with the coded message. 

Before Jinbei had left for Fishman Island, Luffy had asked--ordered--him once again, "Join my crew!" 

"In two years, after I've finished what I need to, I'll join your crew. Get stronger first," Jinbei finally told the boy before he left. 

* * *

Back at the Moby... 

"You idiot!" Sabo yelled punching his brother after he finally got to the ship. "You miss Teach's betrayal and you stop all that, but then you still get taken? Then you escape Impel Down but you still show up? If you are going to ditch your own execution then don't show up fashionable late for a grand entrance! You idiot!" 

The Whitebeard pirates watch in amusement as the blond began to rant to his brother, an hour probably went by with watch the duo before the blond said something about needing to go and finish his mission and left. 

"By the way, Sabo, Luffy is going to be training for two years, so you'll probably not hear from him during that time," Ace yelled to the blond before he was completely gone. 

"I already know," Sabo shrugged. "I have one of his crew members," the blond smirked. 

"Oh, okay-wait what?" 

"Bye, brother!

~fin~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that was it, it skipped around a lot, but I mean, the war was pretty much different a lot, and there was fighting but really everyone was just confused.   
> And Rayleigh and Luffy still went ahead with the whole, 3D2Y plan. Sabo actually knows that Robin is in his brother's crew and Robin knows Sabo.   
> Yeah, I don't know what this was, but well, yeah. The end.

**Author's Note:**

> So today is my birthday and all I can think about is not the fact I am another year older but this idea in my head about ASL brothers. So here I am writing instead of celebrating. Whoops. Oh well. It also doesnt help that it is midnight and I'm doing this on my phone. I am a mess.
> 
> Anyways this is the first chapter, comment your thoughts. Next chapter will be soon, if not today then tomorrow possibly.


End file.
